The embodiments herein relate generally to medical equipment and an orthosis and/or prosthesis.
Patients that require the use of an orthosis often present with sagittal instabilities which require the use of a plantar flexion stop built into the device. These patients may also present with complications to controlling tibial progression and may also have limited range of motion. The problem for these patients is that when a plantar flexion stop is used, within the orthosis, the stop creates an abrupt knee flexion moment at the initial part of gait which is not part of normal kinematics. Furthermore, a stop is often required in such cases as plantar flexion contractures or those that hyperextend the knee. The problem can be summed up in saying that there is no device available to the public that allows controlled tibial progression, decreases plantarflexion moment at initial contact, decrease contractures and provides a means of stretching contracted muscles, which can be used for both ambulation and therapeutic applications. Embodiments of the disclosed invention solve these problems.